Method and means for saving fuel in internal-combustion engines



' Jan. 1, 1946. Y A. WEISS ETAL 2,392,207

METHOD AND MEANS FOR SAVING FUEL IN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 TO acmrvon Filed Jan. 15, 194:5

INVENTOR 4510160171 BYY WW )ZWLLM ATTORNEY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR Wewo Mbwa 'TTORNVEY Jan. 1, 1946. A. WEISS ETAL' METHOD AND MEANS FOR SAVING FUEL IN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Filed Jan. 15, 1943 Patented Jan. 1, 1946 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DIETHOD AND MEANS FOR S AVING FUEL IN INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINES Abraham Weiss and Joseph Weiss, New York, N. Y.

Application January 15, 1943, Serial No. 472,534

' Claims. (01. 123-97) invention relates to internal combustion engines of motor vehicles.

When driving on smooth roads or downhill the vehicle may be allowed to run by its own momentum after acquiring some speed. Free wheel-v ing hitherto used for this purpose hasnot proved very practical and is in fact justas objectionable as is the depression of the clutch, for the reason that when the wheels are free the vehicle has'the tendency to sway and easily skids. 10

tends ,to cut short the momentum so that -by such method there is hardly any saving of fuel. Such methods are also objectionable because of the necessity to repeatedly turn on and off the ignition or operation of the clutch pedaL tion of the engine may be automatically rendered ineffective and the braking effect of the pistons eliminated permitting, thereby, the vehicle to 26 run by its own momentum for considerable distances until the speed of the vehicle or engine reaches a certain low, and thus affording a considerable saving of fuel.

Another object is to-provide a new method and means whereby the rendering of the engine ineffective will be made to occur on therelease of the accelerator, automatically, at the beginning of or during the regular exhaust or timed period's and when the speed of the vehicle or engine reaches a certain low the engine will be automatically rendered again effective at the end or during the timed periods, so that the chan Our invention also has other objects in view which will be clear from the following detailed description thereof. To accomplish ourobjects our new method,45

consists in that (when the vehicle acquires acertain speed, the accelerator pedal is released and either one-of the regular valves, in each cylinder or a special valve provided therein will be opened automatically and kept open as long. as the vehicle continues to run by its own momentum, so that while the pistons continue to perform their regular strokes no pressure will be created in the cylinders that will tend to reduce the momentumand when the speed of. the vehicle or engine reaches a certain low said valves will automatically close at the end or during the timed periods.

The novel means employed by us to carry out .this new method include electric means for actuatingsaid valves, a speed controlled switch mechanism, adapted at high speed and when the accelerator is released, to close an electric c1rcult which will cause said electric means to open said valves and retain them open until the speed falls to a certain low and means for automatically closing said valves. I

For the purpose of timing the opening and .closing of said valves in the different cylinders so,

that the same shall occur during the exhaust periods, we providein conjuction with the speed controlled switch mechanism, a distributor-like make and break mechanism impelled from the regular timing mechanism of the engine. The object of our invention is to provide a go new method and means whereby when the vehicle or engine acquires a certain speed the opera- To make our invention more clear the same is illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which similar reference characters denote corresponding parts and in which Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic view of our novel means constituting the subject of our invention;

Fig. 2'is adiagrammatic view of a modified form thereof;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view of detail of the modification shown in Fig. 2 and Fig. 4 is a sectional view of another modified detail.

[0 denotes a valve in each cylinder of an inter- -nal combustion engine. This valve may be any one of .the already existing valves, or may be an auxiliary valve provided for the purpose. of this invention. 1 If such auxiliary valve is used.

it is adapted to be normally closed under action of a spring H or otherwise, and to be automatically opened by suitable electric means, such as the armature l2 of solenoid ll. I

[4 denotes a speed controlled mechanism, such as a governor controlled switch, whose contact iece I5 is adapted to bridge contact points [6, I! while the vehicle or engine is running witl m certain limits of speed.

One of the contact points, say It, may be electrically connected to a manual switch l8, l9 which may be actuated from the accelerator pedal A and which is adapted to be closed when the accelerator is in released position, as shown. The

other contact point l1 may be electrically-connected to the solenoid ll through a normally closed switch 20;

This switch 20 isactuated by the spring contr lledermature' of a solenoid liwhich. when I energized will cause said switch to open. Solenoid 23wil1 be energized by closing a manual switch 2|, 22 which may be actuated from the brake pedal B or a knob (not shown) conveniently located near said pedal.

Simultaneously with the closing of the-speed controlled switch l6, l6, 'l'! the ignition may be automatically shut 01!, and upon the opening of switches I6, l6, l1 and closing of the manual switches 2|, 22 the ignition may be automatically mechanism I4 is automatically closed. The battery circuit through wires a, b, c, d, e, closed switch 20, and wire I energizes solenoids ll,

whose armatures i2 when attracted against its spring force II will open valves ll) of the cylinders. At the same :time another branch of the battery circuit through wire 9 energizes the solenoid 24', causing switch 24 to open and thereby the ignition, through-,.

automatically shut oil wires i, i'.

When the low limit of speed has been reached,

the speed controlled switch 15,16, l1 automatically opens as a result of which the solenoids l I,

and 2 4' become disenergized so that the valves I are permitted to close and the ignition re-' stored, rendering the engine again effective, and the speed of the vehicle may now be increased by actuating the accelerator pedal A.

If,-for some reason, it is desired to render the engine effective while the vehicle is running under. its own' momentum at sufllciently high speed,

as for instance when driving down a steep hill or on a wet road, and thereby afford an additional braking action on the wheels by the compression strokes of the pistons, the manual switch 2|, 22

may be closed. As a result thereof, the battery circuit through wire h will energize solenoid 23 causing switch 20 to open so that the solenoid l I -will be disenergized permitting the valves ill to close. .At the same time another branch of the battery circuit through wire i will restore the ignition.

the contacts 26'. It is also connected with or part of the armature of a solenoid 3| which when energized, as will be'hereinafter described, will cause the spindle and consequently the body 21 to slide downwardly so asto bring the brush 21 in alignment with contacts 26".

M denotes the speed controlled switch mechanism, similar to that shown in Fig. 1, adapted to control with its bridging contact I6 two sets of contacts l6, l1 and 16', ll according to the speed. Contact point 16 of the set l6, I1 is electrically connected to switch l8, l9 controlled from the accelerator pedal and to all contact points 26', 26 of body 26. The other contact ll of said set is electrically connected to solenoid 3|. Of the other set of contacts l6, I? one contact point I6 is also electrically connectedto manual switch l8, l9 and also to all the contacts 26', 213. of the body 26 of the distributor mechanism 26. The other connectionswill be apparent from this operation of 'the device which is as follows:

When a hand switch H-is open, the engine op-' erates normally.

When it is desired to save fuel and run the ve-' hicle at its own momentum, after it acquires a 1 certain speed, then on closing switch H, releas- I ing accelerator pedal A, thereby. closing manual switch l8, I9, the speed actuated switch l5, l6, l1

will close. One battery circuit will flow along wires a, k and energize solenoid 3|. The spring actuated armature of this ;solenoid will cause the body 21 to belongitudinally displaced within the body 26, so that the brushf2'l will be on the same level with the'circularrow of contacts 26 on the body 26.

The timing of the make and break mechanism is such that contacts 26, 21 for the difierent cylinders will close at the beginning of or during the timed periods in the different cylinders and the contacts 26', 21' will close at timed periods.

A second battery circuit will then wires l, contacts 26 21*, wire I closed switch 29,

wire I to solenoids ll. When the solenoids ll the end of said are energizedtheir armatures ll will open the valves I0 and at the same time close switches l3,

- so that a third branch of the battery circuit may In the. modification according to Fig. 2 the I opening and closing of the valves in are adapted to be effected automatically only during th timed periods in the different cylinders. v

To this end we provide, in addition to the spec controlled switch, a .number of relays or solenoids controlled'switches and a distributor like rows of insulated contacts, one pair of contact points 26', 26 for each cylinder '(Fig. 3). The rotary, body 21- is slidably mounted on a central spindle 2! which is impelled from the now flow along wire m, closed switch 32, wire 1:, closed switch l3 and wire 0 to continue to feedthe solenoids ll so as to maintain'the valves I0 open as long as the vehicle 01 engine continues to timing shaft S of the engine and bears two vertically superposed insulated brushes 21', 2'! which during rotation of the body 21 areadapted to consecutively cooperate with the contacts 26',

263 respectively of each cylinder and. make and break certain battery circuits as will be-hereinafter described, The spindle 21" of the body, '21 under action of spring 21 is adapted to normally be elevated so that the brush 2'! is level, with run with a certain speed. At the same time an:

other branch of the battery circuit flowing through wire 12, energizes solenoid 2" which shuts off the ignition by opening switch 24 between wires 13p".

Now when the momentum has decreased to a certain low, the speed actuated switch It closes contacts"), l6, l1 after opening contacts l6, I1.

' At that instant the battery circuit through solenoid 3| will be broken,disenergizing the latter and permitting. body 2T to move back under its spring force to the position in which contacts. 26 and contact 21' are brought to the same level and ready to close the circuits therethrough suc- Q cessively as the body 21' rotates.- As.a'resu1t thereof the battery circuit will flow throughwire q contacts 26', 21' :to energize'a solenoid 34.'

whose armature will open switch 30 just at the instant contacts between brush 21 'and contacts 26" have been made. In the meantime another branch of said circuit will flow along wire 1, switch 30, wires 2, o to solenoids ll holding them energized until the regular timed periods. When I flow through;

thesolenoids ii are disenergized-the valves it will close. At the same time a fourth battery circuit through wire t will restore ignition.

If for any reason it is desired toclose the valves III while the vehicle is still running under its mo mentum with sufiicient speed, the manual. switch 2|, 22 is closed. One battery circuit will then flow along wire u, to solenoid 28, another through wire 1; to solenoid 33 and a third through wire 10 to ignition. The solenoids ,28, 33 will beenergized andas a. result thereof, open switches 29' and 32, permitting the valves l0 toclose'; At the same time the circuit through wire in will restore ignition. a i In Figure 4 I have shown a modification in which the solenoid ll, actuatesa valve ll], of a hydraulic or pneumatic compressor or the like suitably connected to a power unit 42.

It is understood that various other modifications may be made inthe construction or our device without departing iromthe principle of our invention.

limit ourselves shown.

What we claim is: a 1. A method of controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine, consisting in that when the engine acquires a certain speedpthe fuel" i'eed control is interrupted and the engine rendered ineflective by automatically causing the opening of a valve and simultaneously cutting out ignition, so thattheengine may continue to run by its acquired momentum, and when the spe d of the engine reaches a certainlow limit said valve automatically is caused to close and the isnition is restored, thereby rendering the engine again effective.

2. In an internal of fuel. comprising a valve in its cylinder, speed controlled means',and means simultaneously ac-J tuated bysaid i'uel teed control meansand said speed controlled means to automatically open said valve and render theoperation oi said engine ineflective uponthe-release or said fuel teed means and the instant engine acquires a certain speed, and means for automatically closing said valve when the speed of the engine reaches a certain 'lowli'mit and therebyrender the operation oi said engine again efle'ctive. Y

combustionengine having manual iuel teed control means, means for enabling the engine to freely run by its acquired momentum and thereby reduce, the consumption We, therefore, do-not wish to 1 to thee details described and to claim 3 in which there are also provided means for automatically cutting out ignition'simultane-f' ously with the opening or said valve and means for automatically restoring said ignition simultaneously with the closing of said valve.

5. .In an internal combustion engine having an accelerator means, a valve in'the cylinder oi. said engine, means for automatically causing the opening of said valve and thereby render the operation of said engine ineflective when the engine reaches a certain high speed, said means including an electric circuit, an accelerator controlled switch and a speed controlled" switch ior said circuit, andmeans for automaticallycausing the closing of saidvalve and render the operation 0! said engine again eflectivewhen said circuit is broken through the opening of said second switch.

6. In an internal combustion engineaccordin to claim 5 in which the means-tor opening said valve also-include arr-"electric. make and break mechanism and timing means for operating said mechanism, so as to cause the opening and closing of said valve during a timed period of said engine.

7. In an internal combustion engine according to claim 5 in which the means for opening said valve also include a manual switch .to control said -electric means so as to cause the automatic clos- -3..In. an internal combustion engine having" manual iuel feed control means, of means for enabling the engine to freely run by its acquired momentum and thereby reduce the consumption of fuel, comprising avalvein' its cylinder, speed controlled means, means simultaneously actuatedby said iuel feed control means and saidspeed 1 controlled means" to automatically cause the .opening of said valve, so as torender-the operagain eiiective, the opening and closing of said.

ing of said valve before the lower speed'limit-is reached. 4 8. In an internal combustion engine according to claim 5 in which the means for opening said valve include a.solenoid.

9. In an internal combustion engine according to claim 5 in which the means for opening said valve include afluid' compressor and means for controlling said compressor. a

110. The method of controlling the operation of an internal combustion engine for a motor vehlcle consisting in th at when said engine acquires v a certain speed, the accelerator pedal is released. and .said engine automatically rendered ineflec 'tiveby causing the opening of a valve, so that said engine may continue to run by its acquired momentum and when the speed "oI'the' engine reaches a certain lowlimit, said valveis anti matic'aily caused to close to render -the engine valve occurringat timed periods.

JosnPn wmss. 

